Please Note: Revision on previous post regarding WEC Nominated and Definited Entry dates
FEI Press:
2008 FEI World Endurance Championship: Terengganu (MAS), 6-9 November 2008 05/02/2008
World titles will be up for renewal and grabs this year as the 12th FEI World Endurance Championship edge their way closer. Indeed, from 6 to 9 November 2008, Terengganu in Malaysia will be host to defending, aspiring and future World champions.
The nominated entry date and definite entry dates for the 2008 FEI World Endurance Championship to be held from 6-9 November in Terengganu (MAS) are:
Nominated Entry: 21 August
Definite Entry: 1 October
These dates have been chosen in order to acknowledge combinations that have performed at the highest level over these last two years (FEI World Equestrian Games and FEI European Championships) and to also comply with the required time frame for quarantine issues into Malaysia.
And yet it seems it was only yesterday that Miguel Vila Urbach clenched the first Spanish individual World Endurance gold at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen with record attendance – while the French convincingly took team gold amid torrential rains and abundant smiles…
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Monday, February 04, 2008
Australia: Clare's top of the class
Invernell Times
05 February 2008 - 9:54AM
Local high school teacher Clare Fleming has reached the top in the Queensland Endurance Riders Association pointscore for 2007.
Clare scored 36 points.
This ranked her as Queensland's most successful Lightweight Endurance Rider.
The next competitor, Karen Hamelink, scored 31.5 points.
Without a grey Arab gelding known as Mangueira Moksha and a dark bay mare known as Birramalee Queen of Hearts, Clare’s success would not have been possible.
Together, these two horses clocked up around 1000 kilometres doing competitive endurance rides last year.
Clare rides competitively, and usually finishes in the top five placegetters of a ride.
In 2007, she won the Lake Manchester Ride, the Spring Mountain Ride, the Bungawalbyn Forest Ride and the Eden Creek Ride.
Endurance riding originated in the United States , where cavalry horses where tested for strength over long distances, and came to Australia in around 1966.
It is the fastest growing equestrian sport in the world. It is hugely prestigious in the Middle East , where sheiks spend up big to enjoy the privilege of racing and riding their own horses.
Recently, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, hosted the world’s most valuable endurance race.
While Australia does not allow prize money, there are special awards for placegetters.
Clare emphasised that while endurance rides are a race, her main goal is to complete the ride with a sound, healthy horse.
In fact the motto of the Australian Endurance Riders Association is: "to complete is to win ".
05 February 2008 - 9:54AM
Local high school teacher Clare Fleming has reached the top in the Queensland Endurance Riders Association pointscore for 2007.
Clare scored 36 points.
This ranked her as Queensland's most successful Lightweight Endurance Rider.
The next competitor, Karen Hamelink, scored 31.5 points.
Without a grey Arab gelding known as Mangueira Moksha and a dark bay mare known as Birramalee Queen of Hearts, Clare’s success would not have been possible.
Together, these two horses clocked up around 1000 kilometres doing competitive endurance rides last year.
Clare rides competitively, and usually finishes in the top five placegetters of a ride.
In 2007, she won the Lake Manchester Ride, the Spring Mountain Ride, the Bungawalbyn Forest Ride and the Eden Creek Ride.
Endurance riding originated in the United States , where cavalry horses where tested for strength over long distances, and came to Australia in around 1966.
It is the fastest growing equestrian sport in the world. It is hugely prestigious in the Middle East , where sheiks spend up big to enjoy the privilege of racing and riding their own horses.
Recently, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, hosted the world’s most valuable endurance race.
While Australia does not allow prize money, there are special awards for placegetters.
Clare emphasised that while endurance rides are a race, her main goal is to complete the ride with a sound, healthy horse.
In fact the motto of the Australian Endurance Riders Association is: "to complete is to win ".
UAE: Endurance ride for ladies to be held on Friday
Gulf News article
By M. Satya Narayan Staff Reporter
Published: February 04, 2008, 23:31
Photo: Sorouh Salem Juma Al Ketbi (left) President of Al Asayel Endurance village Organising committee and Lara Sawaya of Tasweeq announce the Endurance Ride at Al Asayel Endurance Village at Le Royal Meridien hotel in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi: The Second Round of the Dr. Shaikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Challenge endurance ride for ladies will be held on Friday and will be followed by two endurance courses for FEI judges at the Al Asayel Endurance Village (AAEV) in Sweihan, Abu Dhabi.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, Salem Al Ketbi, AAEV Organising Committee President said Friday's event is expected to provide some exciting fare as the tussle for overall champion enters a crucial phase.
Friday's 100-km ride will get off to a mass start at 6.30am and the ride will be run in four loops of 30kms, 30kms, 24kms and 16kms. Two Qualifier rides will also be held on the same day.
"We have 14 lady riders from the 31 who started who will be looking to garner some more points in the three-round Dr. Shaikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Challenge," he said.
Explaining the challenge, Lara Sawaya, Managing Director of Tasweeq, said "Winners of each round will gain 130 points apart from the first prize money of Dh 30,000.
Additionally, 50 Bonus Points for a rider completing all three Rounds of the Challenge and 100 Bonus Points for a rider that completes all three Rounds of the Challenge with the same horse will be awarded," Sawaya said.
"Another 45, 30 and 15 points respectively for the top three best conditioned horses will also be added while a Dh 10,000 award for the Best Conditioned Horse winner of each round is also on offer," she said.
The Al Asayel Endurance Village in association with the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation will also be holding two FEI Courses for Endurance Judges, the first time in the world it is being held only for women, announced Sawaya.
Ian Williams, Director of FEI Endurance will be conducting the courses.
"We have 14 lady riders from the 31 who started who will be looking to garner some more points in the three-round Challenge..."
By M. Satya Narayan Staff Reporter
Published: February 04, 2008, 23:31

Abu Dhabi: The Second Round of the Dr. Shaikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Challenge endurance ride for ladies will be held on Friday and will be followed by two endurance courses for FEI judges at the Al Asayel Endurance Village (AAEV) in Sweihan, Abu Dhabi.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, Salem Al Ketbi, AAEV Organising Committee President said Friday's event is expected to provide some exciting fare as the tussle for overall champion enters a crucial phase.
Friday's 100-km ride will get off to a mass start at 6.30am and the ride will be run in four loops of 30kms, 30kms, 24kms and 16kms. Two Qualifier rides will also be held on the same day.
"We have 14 lady riders from the 31 who started who will be looking to garner some more points in the three-round Dr. Shaikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Challenge," he said.
Explaining the challenge, Lara Sawaya, Managing Director of Tasweeq, said "Winners of each round will gain 130 points apart from the first prize money of Dh 30,000.
Additionally, 50 Bonus Points for a rider completing all three Rounds of the Challenge and 100 Bonus Points for a rider that completes all three Rounds of the Challenge with the same horse will be awarded," Sawaya said.
"Another 45, 30 and 15 points respectively for the top three best conditioned horses will also be added while a Dh 10,000 award for the Best Conditioned Horse winner of each round is also on offer," she said.
The Al Asayel Endurance Village in association with the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation will also be holding two FEI Courses for Endurance Judges, the first time in the world it is being held only for women, announced Sawaya.
Ian Williams, Director of FEI Endurance will be conducting the courses.
"We have 14 lady riders from the 31 who started who will be looking to garner some more points in the three-round Challenge..."
USA: USEF to appoint Becky Hart as Endurance Chef d'Equip
Endurance.Net
February 4
The USEF High Performance Endurance committee has recommended Becky Hart as Endurance Chef' D Equipe for the USA. Pending final approval by the USEF Executive Committee, Ms. Hart will be at the helm of the International Endurance program. With sights on a USA medal at the 2010 World Equestrian Games which will be held in Kentucky, USA, Ms. Hart will be coaching USEF National Team Riders, and will be involved in developing an effective Endurance program for the USEF.
Becky Hart and RO Grand Sultan were among the USA's top performing horse and rider pairs, winning 3 consecutive Gold Medals at the 1988, 1990 and 1992 World Endurance Championships. Ms. Hart has been training winning endurance horses during the past decade as well as teaching equitation to riders.
Ms. Hart will be travelling to the UAE in February, as Chef d'Equipe for the USA riders that will be competing in the 2008 HH The President of UAE Endurance Cup. Steve Rojek riding Finch, John Crandell III riding HH Saba Shams (Sonny) the 2007 Tevis Cup winner, and Kathy Brunjes riding Theatric will be representing the USA in this classic desert challenge.
February 4
The USEF High Performance Endurance committee has recommended Becky Hart as Endurance Chef' D Equipe for the USA. Pending final approval by the USEF Executive Committee, Ms. Hart will be at the helm of the International Endurance program. With sights on a USA medal at the 2010 World Equestrian Games which will be held in Kentucky, USA, Ms. Hart will be coaching USEF National Team Riders, and will be involved in developing an effective Endurance program for the USEF.
Becky Hart and RO Grand Sultan were among the USA's top performing horse and rider pairs, winning 3 consecutive Gold Medals at the 1988, 1990 and 1992 World Endurance Championships. Ms. Hart has been training winning endurance horses during the past decade as well as teaching equitation to riders.
Ms. Hart will be travelling to the UAE in February, as Chef d'Equipe for the USA riders that will be competing in the 2008 HH The President of UAE Endurance Cup. Steve Rojek riding Finch, John Crandell III riding HH Saba Shams (Sonny) the 2007 Tevis Cup winner, and Kathy Brunjes riding Theatric will be representing the USA in this classic desert challenge.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Rajasthan: Raring to Go
Business Standard - full article
Anand Sankar / New Delhi February 03, 2008
In the cold rajasthani desert, the marwari horse shows its mettle in endurance racing.
The moon is still high above the horizon in the wee hours of a freezing winter morning.
I stagger out of my tent to see a fully suited rider warming himself in front of a roaring fire. His mount has already been exercised and is raring like him to head out into the darkness. The day promises to test their skill to the limit.
Horse racing is definitely the pinnacle of equestrian sport and draws massive attention worldwide. But within horse racing there is a niche called endurance equestrian that is the realm of only a few chosen mounts and their riders.
There was a chance to witness this very specialist sport at the recently concluded National Endurance Championship in the shrublands of Dundlod, Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan.
Preparations had begun months in advance, and finally the stables of Dundlod were ready to host the championship. For the five riders who rode into the darkness, a gruelling 25 km course awaited, which they had to lap four times.
It was quite a sight to watch the riders set off, and to follow them in the numbing cold down the track that wound along unpaved roads, sandy tracks, gravel and fertile agricultural lands. It made one appreciate the toughness of the sport.
Endurance racing traces its history to the age when horses were the only means of transport over vast distances. But today it is considered the most strenuous form of horse racing, requiring both horse and rider to compete at the peak of their ability. As one of the judges at the championship pointed out: “The rider must not tire as he will tire the horse, and if the horse tires the rider will tire.”
Standard distances at an endurance meet are 60, 80, 100 and 160 km, which are rated one-, two-, three- and four-star races respectively. In general, the horse and rider to complete the ride in the shortest time are classified winners.
But between laps and at the end of a race the horses undergo a medical examination for which their heart rate must be lowered to 64 beats per minute, and they must pass a check for soundness and dehydration. An unfit horse is eliminated.
Preparation for the race begins very early. Horse and rider build their stamina gradually through hours of practice. The rider must master the art of pacing his horse, and learn to understand his mount’s condition to watch out for tiredness.
In between each lap there is a 30-minute break, and it resembles a pit stop in a Formula 1 race. While the rider refreshes himself, the horse is cooled down, massaged, fed and watered and made to pass the medical examination.
As always, there is plenty of drama. Of the five riders who set out, one has to call it a day after the first lap as his horse injures its ankle. Another horse succumbs to tiredness by the halfway mark and in the final lap it’s a head-to-head contest between two horses while the last contestant staggers in exhausted just two minutes before the race closes at 5 pm.
This edition of the national championship is special because all the horses except one thoroughbred of the Indian Army are of the Marwari breed. The stable at Dundlod, owned by royal scion Kanwar Raghuvendra Singh, is famous for its pioneering efforts to resuscitate the bloodline of the Marwari.
Predictably, it won the championship’s signature 100 km race. The last edition of the Asian Games in 2006 at Doha featured endurance riding for the first time and predictably again, it was the Arabian breeds that dominated because of their “incredible stamina and natural endurance”. But Singh has high hopes for the Marwari.
The Marwari horse has been a favourite of the warrior classes in India for centuries. A stocky and powerfully built horse, it has starred in many previous editions of the national endurance championships.
Its main advantage is the ability to adapt to most environmental conditions, and Singh says with selective breeding and sustained complete nutrition, his horses have sometimes reached a proportion of 17 hands (the height of the horse at its shoulder).
“We are working for the promotion, preservation, conservation and more international recognition of the Marwari horse,” says Singh.
“Even foreign riders have shown their confidence in the horse’s endurance ability. Yes, with the right kind of support, we believe this breed can one day challenge the supremacy of the Arabian horses.”
Anand Sankar / New Delhi February 03, 2008
In the cold rajasthani desert, the marwari horse shows its mettle in endurance racing.
The moon is still high above the horizon in the wee hours of a freezing winter morning.
I stagger out of my tent to see a fully suited rider warming himself in front of a roaring fire. His mount has already been exercised and is raring like him to head out into the darkness. The day promises to test their skill to the limit.
Horse racing is definitely the pinnacle of equestrian sport and draws massive attention worldwide. But within horse racing there is a niche called endurance equestrian that is the realm of only a few chosen mounts and their riders.
There was a chance to witness this very specialist sport at the recently concluded National Endurance Championship in the shrublands of Dundlod, Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan.
Preparations had begun months in advance, and finally the stables of Dundlod were ready to host the championship. For the five riders who rode into the darkness, a gruelling 25 km course awaited, which they had to lap four times.
It was quite a sight to watch the riders set off, and to follow them in the numbing cold down the track that wound along unpaved roads, sandy tracks, gravel and fertile agricultural lands. It made one appreciate the toughness of the sport.
Endurance racing traces its history to the age when horses were the only means of transport over vast distances. But today it is considered the most strenuous form of horse racing, requiring both horse and rider to compete at the peak of their ability. As one of the judges at the championship pointed out: “The rider must not tire as he will tire the horse, and if the horse tires the rider will tire.”
Standard distances at an endurance meet are 60, 80, 100 and 160 km, which are rated one-, two-, three- and four-star races respectively. In general, the horse and rider to complete the ride in the shortest time are classified winners.
But between laps and at the end of a race the horses undergo a medical examination for which their heart rate must be lowered to 64 beats per minute, and they must pass a check for soundness and dehydration. An unfit horse is eliminated.
Preparation for the race begins very early. Horse and rider build their stamina gradually through hours of practice. The rider must master the art of pacing his horse, and learn to understand his mount’s condition to watch out for tiredness.
In between each lap there is a 30-minute break, and it resembles a pit stop in a Formula 1 race. While the rider refreshes himself, the horse is cooled down, massaged, fed and watered and made to pass the medical examination.
As always, there is plenty of drama. Of the five riders who set out, one has to call it a day after the first lap as his horse injures its ankle. Another horse succumbs to tiredness by the halfway mark and in the final lap it’s a head-to-head contest between two horses while the last contestant staggers in exhausted just two minutes before the race closes at 5 pm.
This edition of the national championship is special because all the horses except one thoroughbred of the Indian Army are of the Marwari breed. The stable at Dundlod, owned by royal scion Kanwar Raghuvendra Singh, is famous for its pioneering efforts to resuscitate the bloodline of the Marwari.
Predictably, it won the championship’s signature 100 km race. The last edition of the Asian Games in 2006 at Doha featured endurance riding for the first time and predictably again, it was the Arabian breeds that dominated because of their “incredible stamina and natural endurance”. But Singh has high hopes for the Marwari.
The Marwari horse has been a favourite of the warrior classes in India for centuries. A stocky and powerfully built horse, it has starred in many previous editions of the national endurance championships.
Its main advantage is the ability to adapt to most environmental conditions, and Singh says with selective breeding and sustained complete nutrition, his horses have sometimes reached a proportion of 17 hands (the height of the horse at its shoulder).
“We are working for the promotion, preservation, conservation and more international recognition of the Marwari horse,” says Singh.
“Even foreign riders have shown their confidence in the horse’s endurance ability. Yes, with the right kind of support, we believe this breed can one day challenge the supremacy of the Arabian horses.”
Pieraz-Cryozootech-Stallion's First Foal Due in April

Pieraz-Cryozootech-Stallion, the colt cloned from Valerie Kanavy's two-time World Champion Endurance horse, Pieraz, will have his first foal on the ground in April to the mare Dziupla. Born in 2005 in Italy, he now stands at stud in France.
Pieraz, a gray gelding, won the World Endurance Championship at the The Hague in 1994 with Valerie Kanavy, and the World Endurance Championship in Fort Riley in 1996 with Valerie's daughter, Danielle Kanavy. In total, he won 12 160-km races.
The first mare bred to Pieraz-Cryozootech-Stallion in 2007 was Varoussa, the 2000 World Endurance Championship winner at Compiegne. Varoussa is by the indomitable Persik.
More information on Pieraz-Cryozootech-Stallion at www.cryozootech.com
Warsan Endurance Challenge

photo: Anzaq Mehmood, Sheikha Madiya Al Maktoum, and Arsad Khan finishing the Warsan Endurance Challenge
February 2, Bou Thib Endurance Stable
Warsan Endurance Challenge CEI*** 120km
Top Five Finishers:
1. Fakhar Abbas Mohd riding Ultimo: 5:46:18
2. Omair Husain Abdulla Al Bloushi riding Parlour Mountain Legend: 5:53:39
3. Iqbal Karim Ikramul Haque riding Toreado: 5:53:41
4. Sheikha Madiya Hasher Mana Al Maktoum riding JG Rose: 6:35:50
5. Arsad Ali Saudi Khan riding Cindy: 6:35:51
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Great Britain: Success Stories from the International Thetford Endurance Rides
August 16 2025 Thetford Endurance was held for the first time under new organisers Anna Bridges and Lauren Hirst, showcasing a CEI3 160km...
-
Inside.fei.org 17 December 2020 The FEI Board took a series of key decisions on allocation, cancellation, and reopening of bids for FEI C...
-
Inside.FEI.org 02 September 2024 Author: Mirjam van Huet A total of 145 athletes and 155 horses are currently preparing for the journe...
-
NoosaToday.com.au - Full Article 06/07/24 Erle Levey The premier event on the Australian endurance horse-riding calendar is to return to...